In the face of hatred and xenophobia, we must insist that love is the better way.

Many people of good will were astonished and dismayed by the magnitude of hatred, bigotry and exclusivity that erupted as Donald Trump's presidential candidacy ran forward with what proved to be unstoppable momentum. What many thought was a solid foundation of inclusivity and openness to diversity has been exposed as a veneer. Beneath it lies a deep and roiling pool of ill will toward many groups. We now find ourselves uncertain about the kind of culture, what sort of America, we will be living in.

Although unsettling, these events have drawn attention to what was there anyway, lurking beneath the surface. The campaign and election did not produce the hatred. Yes, at least for some people, Trump’s campaign and election made it seem more acceptable to voice, and to act upon, these impulses. But make no mistake, these were feelings and attitudes that were already present in our society. We now know more than we did about the shadowy underbelly of a culture that in some ways had fooled some of us into imagining that things were far better than they are.

Many groups in our nation wonder if they really belong in the culture of the United States since the recent election has seemed to give official sanction to hatred, narrow nationalism, and exclusion. Will they belong under a Trump presidency?

Immigrants who bring so much to us in terms of diverse cultures

LGBTQ people who so recently won the right to be who they are and love whom they love

People with disabilities or mental illness

Those of many religions whose varied visions of the good and the right broaden our own

Women, whose right to self-determination regarding their own bodies is again under scrutiny

Native peoples whose bonds to the lands they hold sacred are threatened

Any of us who stand with them in their struggles.

We have learned that disrespect for women can still be dismissed as “locker room talk.” We have learned that someone who openly mocked a reporter who has a disability can be elected to the office of the presidency of the United States. We have learned that rolling back universal health care can gain a candidate popularity. We have been reminded that in the minds of some, Lady Liberty does not necessarily welcome the immigrant. The hard-won right for all Americans to marry whom they choose is again in question. And we now know that the presidential pick for attorney general is someone who has a long record of racist comments and has prosecuted civil rights activists in his home state of Alabama. He supports a ban on Muslim immigrants and opposes both immigration and criminal justice reform.

What shall people of good will do now? The revered Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama has said “Never give up. No matter what is happening, no matter what is going on around you, never give up.” It seems to me this is a good capsule summary of what all people of good will need to focus on right now. We can show support for and solidarity with an agenda of justice, human rights and compassion.

In the face of hatred, exclusion, homophobia and xenophobia, we can insist that love is the better way. Confronted with demagoguery, we can respond with reason. When we encounter narrow nationalism, we can emphasize the importance of global community as the only sane path in a world of interdependence. When despair arises within or around us, we must answer with hope. This is not about politics, not about Democrats versus Republicans. It isn’t about support for Trump or not. It’s bigger than that. It’s about support for the dignity and worth of all persons, without exception. We can choose to live the values and choices that have truly helped to “make America great” in the past such as inclusion, justice, and compassion. Now. More than ever.

Julia Corbett-Hemeyer is community minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie.